


The Minutehens

by ScorpioSkies



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Animals, Chickens, F/M, Fluff and Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-18
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2020-07-07 22:29:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19859047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScorpioSkies/pseuds/ScorpioSkies
Summary: Charlie receives a surprise!





	The Minutehens

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Magpie_XIII](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magpie_XIII/gifts).



The mystery began when Charlie entered her bedroom to find Danse halfway under her bed, grumbling to himself. Despite his usually sharp senses, he seemed completely unaware of her, and she took a moment both to wonder and enjoy the view as he backed out. 

When he registered her presence, his eyes widened for a moment like a radstag in a spotlight. 

Charlie’s lips curved in a smirk, and she nodded towards the bed. “If I was going to find you in here, I’d expect you to be waiting on the bed rather than under it.” 

“I- no! That was not… That is… This wasn’t my intention.” 

He stood quickly, dusting off his coat. Biting back her laughter and keeping a straight face, Charlie crossed over to him and plucked a feather from his hair. Danse gulped, watching as Charlie studied it with interest. 

It was small and dark, completely unremarkable save for the fact it was there. 

“So if you’re not here to spend the night, what  _ were _ you doing under my bed?” she asked, twirling the feather as she glanced at him. 

By now Danse had his embarrassment hidden beneath his stoic facade - well, mostly. His ears were a telltale crimson and the small worried crease hadn’t left his brow. 

“I thought I thought I heard something, so I came in to check.” 

“Heard something like what?” 

A long, low croak made them both jump and whip around to face the wardrobe. Charlie’s eyes narrowed. “What the…” 

“Stay back,” Danse said firmly, extending one arm to prevent her advancing as he stepped forwards himself. “I’ll take care of this.” 

“Take care of what?” 

Danse didn’t answer, and Charlie watched, completely perplexed, as Danse began making soft clucking noises as he approached. He reached for the handles, and it was as he warily inched the doors open that she caught sight of a scrawny silhouette, peering from the top of the wardrobe. 

“Danse - look out!” 

Charlie’s warning was drowned out by a  _ bwa-BWARK! _

Danse gave a bark of surprise, arms rising to shield his head - but the creature was already springing from his hair and down his back until it landed on the floor. 

Charlie gawked in silence as the little creature strutted towards her, clucking to itself with an indignant flap of its tiny arms - no, not arms, Charlie realised, but  _ wings.  _ She wasn’t looking upon some wasteland rodent, but a chicken. A rather bald looking chicken, with just a few clumps of feathers spread unevenly across its pale skin. 

It stopped in front of her and stared, turning its head this way and that. 

Charlie didn’t know what the chicken thought of her, but she knew how she felt. 

Love at first sight.

She crouched down, and when the chicken clucked at her she clucked back, reaching slowly towards it. The bird blinked quizzically at her hand, but didn’t shy away. A few moments later it waddled closer - and then surprised Charlie by hopping into her lap. 

She couldn’t help but smile as it settled there, letting her wrap her arms around it and give it light pets. It made contented clucks and didn’t panic when she began to rise, holding it carefully in her arms.

"What's a chicken doing in my quarters?" she mused aloud, only to see Danse rub the back of his neck. "Danse…?" 

"Well, I recalled that whenever a settlement had chickens, you liked to stop by the coops, and you once mentioned that you were fond of the birds and would like to have some…" 

He heaved a sigh, broad shoulders sagging a little. "Well. The chicken's already flown the coop, so to speak. Let me show you." 

Charlie followed him out, still carrying the chicken in her arms. 

They arrived in the Castle courtyard, and he led her beyond the walls to where some of the land had been turned into pasture for the Minutemen's pack animals. 

A pen had been fenced off with chicken wire, and Charlie felt a rising tide of joy and excitement. Someone had constructed a chicken coop, painted blue with Minutemen sigils on the roof and the hatch that served as the chicken's door. 

Five balding chickens were scratching in the dirt, pecking at scattered seeds. 

The chicken in her arms began to stir, and when Danse opened the gate Charlie lowered it to the ground, watching as it strutted inside to join the flock. 

Danse closed the gate with a sigh, turning to face her. 

“It was supposed to be a surprise, but chickens don’t adhere to perimeters or commands.” 

“Well,” Charlie said slowly, leaning on the fence with a wry smile. “I was pretty surprised to find you crawling under my bed and a chicken on my wardrobe.” 

Danse snorted, leaning on the fence beside her so their arms were touching. 

“I hope it was a good surprise?” 

Charlie glanced away from her new flock to meet his eyes, and her heart fluttered at his tender expression. She gave him a quick peck on the lips. 

“I love them. Thank you for this, Danse.” 

“You’re more than welcome,” he beamed, his chest puffing proudly. His arm slipped around her waist and she leaned into his side, but a few moments later she felt him tense, heard him suck in a breath. 

She turned her head to look at him. “Danse?” 

“Do you only count five chickens?” 

Somewhere in the courtyard, Ronnie Shaw squawked.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a humourous fluff (or feathered) piece I wrote for the wonderful Magpie! Hope you enjoyed it and thanks so much for reading! ♥


End file.
